Feature erosion watch: Xbox One loses broadcast TV streaming

This little-used Xbox One accessory will get a little less useful in the next 30 days. (credit: Hauppauge)

Microsoft is removing an Xbox One feature that let users stream over-the-air TV broadcasts from a USB antenna to the Xbox app on iOS or Android.

Reddit user icecreamman37 was among the users to receive the following message from Microsoft on the Xbox One:

You may have streamed TV content using a USB TV tuner from your Xbox console to the Xbox app. In 30 days, the Xbox app on iOS and Android will no longer support this functionality. You will still be able to watch TV content on your Xbox One console and via streaming to the Xbox app on Windows 10.

Microsoft first introduced the streaming feature in late 2015, shortly after the release of Hauppauge's $80 WinTV-HVR stick, which let the Xbox One (or a PC) easily receive over-the-air antenna TV signals. In Europe, Microsoft went so far as to release its own branded Digital TV Tuner in 2014.

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